Single printing element positioning mechanism

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for high-speed printing characterized by a low mass type body positionable about first and second intersecting axes for type selection, and mounted on support structure swingable about a third axis parallel to the first to effect printing of a selected type character. The mechanism is constructed so that the second axis intersects the first and third axes and so that points of connection with operating members to rotatably position said body variably about said first and second axes are coincident or closely adjacent the third axis and are substantially aligned with said second axis when the type body is brought to printing position; the construction being such as to minimize to a negligible degree any deviation of the positioned type relative to a print point.

I Unlted States Patent 1 1151 3,647,040 Waldenburger et al. Mar. 7, 1972 [54] SINGLE PRINTING ELEMENT 3,247,941 4/1966 Beattie et al. ..197/ 18 X POSITIONING MECHANISM 3,272,302 9/1966 Segawa et al. ...l97/55 X 3,286,806 11/1966 Schoenfelder ..197/16 [721 Invenmm Herman" waldenb'lrge" wlkefsdrfi 3,291,041 12/1966 Burchfield et a1 ...197/1s x Duke" Germany 3,420,350 1/1969 Decker ..197/16 [73] Assignee: Triumph Werke Nuernberg A.G., Nurnb Germany Zrimary Exfminehrglgdgaf S. Burr t 221 Filed: Sept. 17, 1969 pa 3 [21] Appl. No.: 858,696 ABSTRACT A mechanism for high-speed printing characterized by a low [30] Foreign A plicati P i i D m mass typte body poslitionable agout firstdand second intersecting axes or type so ection, an mounte on support structure Sept. 28, I968 Germany up 86 405.0 Swingable about a third axis parallel to t first to effect prinb ing of a selected type character. The mechanism is con [52] US. CL ..l97/l6, 197/18, 11977805354 meted so that thesecond axis intersects the first and him 51 Int Cl M 23/00 axes and so that points of connection with operating members E d 551117854 to rotatably position said body variably about said first and o second axes are coincident or closely adjacent the third axis and aresubstantially aligned with said second axis when the [56] References Clted type body is brought to printing position; the construction UNITED STATES PATENTS being such as to minimize to a negligible degree any deviation of the positioned type relative to a print point. 477,224 6/1892 Pratt ..l97/49 2,661,683 12/1953 Beattie ..197/55 X 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 71972 I 3%?3040 sum 1 0F 2 INVENTORS I HERMANN WALDENBURGER HERBERT DECKER 7 ATTORNEY SINGLE PRINTING ELEMENT POSITIONING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to typewriting and similar machines which have a multitype character-bearing body with the characters thereon arranged in rows and columns, and which body requires rotative movement about two axes to effect type selection, and further wherein printing is effected by moving the type body against a platen for imprinting action.

Such type bodies generally employ a universal joint connection within the type body to accommodate concomitant movement about two axes to selectively position a character for printing. In such machines the movement of the type body from rest to printing position against the platen must not have a disturbing effect on the type selective movements of the type body as a result of combined relative motions of elements in the mechanical system. Further in such machines extreme accuracy of parts is necessary; I

It is broadly old to provide a type body which is borne on a long upwardly extending tubular support member in which a type body tilt effecting shaft as well as a turning shaft are coaxially supported and which shafts have, within the type body, drive connections therewith. Characteristically in such prior apparatus the stated turning shaft is connected with the print head by a universal joint member which is accommodated in the hollow of the type body, the type body being removably carried on said universal joint. The parts for turning and tilting the type head are accommodated within the hollow type carrier and greatly increase the collective mass which, incident to each printing movement of the type body, must be accelerated and decelerated therewith. Obviously, the size of the universal joint parts are restricted by the size of the type body, so that extremely tight fitting parts are required to assure accurate type positioning. Furthermore, the operating speed of the type body must be correlated to the ability with which the universal joint parts and other elements can be accelerated and decelerated without causing undue inaccuracies in the typepositioning movements of the type head due to strain and operating play of parts.

In accordance with the present invention there are provided motion-transmitting articulate connections which are so located and arranged and are of such a nature as to permit the positioning motions of the type body to be effected accurately and reliably at high operating speeds as well as economically. Necessarily this calls for an organization and arrangement of elements wherein the masses associated with the moving type carrier are relatively small and thus the use of a heavy universal joint structure within the restricted confines of the type head must be avoided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is attained a reduction and simplicity of parts by which the control of the type body is efficiently and accurately effected and furthermore whereby increased typing speeds in comparison with prevalent machines are made possible. These desirable results are attained through the provision of simple articulate connections which are located outside of the type body and are organized to function so that each time the type body reaches its print position against the platen, the accurate location of a selected character at the printing point is assured.

An especially advantageous embodiment of the invention reduces to a minimum relative movement of the articulate connections for positioning the type body while the type body support is moving forward about a given printing axis to bring a selected type on the body to printing position. This is arranged by locating the printing axis midway of the absolute magnitude of excursions which said articulate connections execute under control of cumulatively driven positioning members.

In order to attain a high degree of accuracy of the various extents of motion transmittal by the articulate connections, the cumulatively driven positioning members are guided in a plane as close as possible to that of the plane of operation of the articulate connections which plane of operation includes the axis about which the type body is swung to print position. Such guidance is advantageously attained in a simple manner by rotatably mounting toward the end of the pivotally supported cumulative positioning levers a joint bolt at or near said articulate connections and to guide it to move along rigidly supported studs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings wherein: I

FIG. I is a perspective view showing a ball-like type-bearing body which has been moved about a print axis to a printing position and during which motion a type-selective movement about two positioning axes has taken place;

FIG. 2 is a sectional left-hand side view showing that portion of the mechanism in FIG. I which serves to turn the type-bearing body about a first positioning axis parallel to'the axis of the platen to present different rows of type at the level of a printing point; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional left-hand side view showing that portion of the mechanism seen in FIG. 1 which serves to effect movement of the type body about a second positioning axis to present different columns of type thereon at a printing point.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts there is shown in FIG. 1 a type body of generally ball form comprising two truncated hemispheres l and 2 which are fast on a center shaft 3 which turns on an axis A to present different rows of type characters located thereon. Shaft3 is rotatably mounted at opposite ends in a fork member 4. The hemispheres 1 and 2 are axially slightly spaced, to thereby form a gap to expose a pinion gear 5 rigidly secured to the axle shaft 3 and to accommodate a straight rack 6 which on the edge opposite its teeth is guided by a backup guide roll 7 to be held in a constantly meshed relation with the pinion 5 which is also accommodated within the gap between the hemispheres l and 2. Such roll 7 is on a shaft 7' by which it is rotatably carried in the fork member 4. Integral with the fork member 4 is a carrying tube 8 extending therebelow and having at its lower end a radially extending arm 9 which includes therein a slot 10. In FIG. 1, the hemisphere 1 is illustrated widely separated from the hemisphere 2 but actually there is only enough room between them for the rack 6 and the guide roll 7 to operate therebetween. Relatedly, for illustrative purposes, the fork 7 member 4 is shown to have a wider spread than it actually has.

The tube 8 is rotatably supported in a collar bearing 11 provided on an inverted generally U-shaped bridge 12 which is swingable about a horizontal axis C. Such axis C is located by the provision of downwardly extending legs at the opposite ends of the U-shaped bridge I2 wherein holes 13 and 14 respectively are formed and into which extend related pivot studs 15 carried on a frame (not shown).-Also supported within such frame arethe type carrier and positioning members 20 and 24 under whose control the type body 1, 2 is positionable to present a selected type opposite a printing point.

The swingable bridge 12 and the tube 8 together constitute a supporting means by which the type body is swung from a normal position away from a platen 50, into printing contact therewith as viewed in FIG. 2. The bridge 12 on one hand, and the tube 8 along with the fork member 4 on the other hand, may respectively be regarded to be a primary and a secondary support member of the stated supporting means for the type body. Moreover, the secondary member comprising the tube 8, by being mounted in the bearing 11, is turnable on an axis B which, in the embodiment shown extends through axes A and C. By rotary movement of the secondary member 8, 4 about the axis B, different columns of type characters are presented to the printing line.

The rack 6 which extends through tube 8 changes in cross section near its lower end into a round rod which has an offset portion 16 reaching into and fastened to a bolt 17 that has pivotal support in a bore 19 of a forked element 18. The latter is carried fast on a character row selection or positioning operating member 20 which by cumulative mechanism, not shown, is driven to position element 18 to one of several selected incremental positions along a path indicated by arrow B. The fork element 18, see FIG. 1, has an additional bore 21 in which another pivot or hinge bolt 22 inwardly of bolt 17 is supported and which is guided along a vertical stud 23 which rises rigidly from a frame member 51 and extends thereinto thereby constraining bolt 22 to move in a straight path.

The bolt 17 and bore 19 afford a motion-transmitting articulate connection between the fork 18 of the positioning member 20 and the rack 6 and therefore constitute part of a means whereby the operating member 20 is associated with the type body for turning it about its axis A. The articulate connection afforded by the bolt 17; depending on the position which is given to the operating member 20, will assume any one of a plurality of row-selective positions 36, seven being indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1 the various possible positions 36 of the articulate connection above and below a midposition of the bolt 17 are indicated laterally projected from the axis B to a dot-dot-dash line B which, as represented in the printing position shown in FIG. 2, is coplanar with the axis B, though strictly speaking lines B and B are not exactly coplanar when the type element is at printing position because the location of bolt 17 at various positions, except where it is coincident with axis C, is not exactly within the plane including axes A, B and C when the type element has been swung to printing position. This is due to the fact that the distance of the bolt 17 measured from the pivot of member 20 is greater than the distance of hinge bolt 22 from the pivot of member 20 and thus cannot exactly follow the guided straight line path of bolt 22. However, the distance between bolt 17 and bolt 22 is small, and consequently, the deviation of bolt 17 from the line of axis B in all its positions is also quite small when the type element is at printing position and is substantially along the line of axis B. Thus the actual possible positions 36 are illustrated as lying along the extended line of axis B which passes squarely through the pivot axis C of the bail 12 about which the type body is swung against the platen 50. Moreover, the axis B preferably passes through the center of the type body. Preferably also, the articulate connection afforded by the bolt 17 is arranged to move from alignment with axis C to equal maximum extents above and below axis C, e.g., three increments above and three increments below.

A second, or type column selection or positioning operating member 24, see FIG. 1, is in control of the tube 8 for positioning the type body 1, 2 to align different type columns with the printing point. The member 24 is adapted to be operated by cumulative mechanism to selected incremental positions along a path indicated by the arrow F in FIG. I. Said member 24 carries rigidly thereon a fork element 25 provided with bores 27 to pivotally support a pivot bolt 26 through which a vertical guide stud 28 extends that is rigidly supported on the frame member 51. Additionally the fork element 25 pivotally carries a bolt having a ball 29 intermediate its ends that is accommodated in a fork 30 of an angular lever 31 having a 90 turned relation relative to fork 25.

The angular lever 31 has a boss 33' by which it is pivotally carried on a stud 33 carried on a part 32 of the bail 12. A lever arm 34 on the boss 33 has a ball 35 reaching into the slot of the arm 9 on the lower part of the carrying tube 8.

The articulate connection afforded by the ball 29 in cooperation with the fork 30, depending on the operational position which is given to the column selection operating member 24, will assume any one of several different point positions 37, e.g., four as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, it being noted that for clearer illustration such positions in FIG. 1 are shown projected to a laterally offset dot-dot-dash line B" which is representative of a line along which the articulate connection 29 will fall when the type element is swung to printing position whereat, as noted with regard to bolt 17, points 37 will be substantially along the line of axis B 37 fall. Furthermore, it is to be observed that in FIG. 1, the position ing member 24 and the extending end of the lever 31 is shown laterally shifted away from the other positioning member 20 for segregating the showings of parts. The lever arm which supports the fork 30 is thus obviously a shorter than the shown distance from the fork 30 to the boss 33'. I

The line of positions 37 of the ball bolt 29 as well as the line of positions 36 of the bolt 17 lie substantially within a plane which is common to the axis C and the axis B when the type body has been swung about axisC to printing position.

In view of the novel arrangement of the parts which facilitate the swinging movement of the type body to strike the platen, and moreover in view of the correlated arrangements of the articulate connections which facilitate the turning of the type body 1, 2 about the axes B and A for effecting type-selective movements, the masses which are involved in the movements of the type body to select types for printing are held to a minimum and this is of greatest importance in respect to attainment of high writing speeds. Furthermore, the accute accelerations and decelerations which necessarily are involved at high operating speeds, are transmitted by simple joints or articulate connections provided in locations where there is ample room and where efficient and accurate motion transmittal is possible.

Incident to each typing operation, the position of the type body is appropriately established under the control of the positioning members 20, 24 and the simple articulate joints l7 and 29, thereby to accurately position types for printing impact. The mechanism of the invention provides that the relative possible movements of parts in the type-selective control mechanism for the type body is so very negligible that the typing impressions are accurate and distinct and do not result'in objectionable wear in joints.

MANNER OF OPERATION To effect a positioning of the hemispheres 1 and 2 for selection of a type located thereon at the intersection of a particular row and column, the positioning members 20, 24 are incrementally moved upwardly or downwardly respectively in the direction of the indicated arrows E and F, and either concomitantly or in succession. The motion of the positioning member 20 is transmitted over the articulate connection comprising the bolt 17 and the rack bar 6 which is in mesh with the gear 5, and thereby effects an appropriately measured turning motion about axis A to the type body to select a type row thereon.

To rotate the type body 1, 2 about the axis B to select the proper type column, the positioning member 24 is moved in the direction of the arrow F either upwardly or downwardly to transmit motion over the articulate connection comprising the ball bolt 29, onto the angular lever 31 which by its ball 35 and through the guiding slot 10 in the arm 9 turns the carrying tube 8, and thus the type body about the axis B of the bearing 11. The type head is normally in a retired position indicated by dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 2, sufficiently in front of the platen 50 to render the writing line thereon visible. The stated tuming movements of the type body about axes A and B may take place while the type body is still in normal position in front of the platen or while the type body is being moved about axis C toward the printing point.

When the type head is swung about axis C to the printing point and reaches printing position, the bolt 17 (FIGS. 1 and 2) lines substantially within a plane including axes A, B and C. This condition is independent of the various operated positions which the positioning members 20 and 24 may reach. Each time the type body in its movement toward the platen reaches printing position, one of the indicated possible positions 36 of the bolt 17 will be reached which are along the illustrated straight line B which crosses the axes A and C squarely at printing position. The rotary movement of the type body about the axis B through which four selective active positions corresponding to four type columns can be obtained is likewise geometricallyaccurately determined when the type body reaches the print position. Namely, one of the four selective positions of the ball of the bolt 29 will be reached on the illustrated straight line B" in a plane common with the axes C and B (FIG. 1).

In view of the novel arrangement of the parts which facilitate the rocking or printing movement of the type body and moreover in view of the novel related arrangements of parts which provide articulations for differently turning the type body about the axes A and B for effecting type selections, the total mass each time communicative with the type body is held to a minimum and this is of greatest importance in facilitating high typing speed. Furthermore, the accurate accelerations and decelerations which necessarily are involved are transmitted by articulate connections provided at locations, where due to ample room, the parts can be of simple economical design and structure and can function accurately. The position of the particular type which is to be effective incidental to each typing operation is accurately determined each time under the control of the various positions which the articulations l7 and attain. The nature of the mechanism provides that such relative movements which may take place as the type body reaches printing position is so very minute that the typing impressions are accurately located and distinct and that there is no detrimental strain and wear of parts and joints.

The invention claimed is:

l. Mechanism for positioning a type body, having type located thereon in rows and columns, about first and second axes intersecting interiorly of said type body to present a selected type for printing,

a secondary support member mounting said type element for rotation about said first axis to present a selected row of type for printing,

a primary support member mounting said secondary support member for rotation about said second axis to present a selected column on said type body for printing,

said primary support member being swingable to a printing position about a third axis external to said type body and parallel to said first axis to print the type at a selected row and column position,

said second axis extending through said first and third axes,

selectively movable row and column positioning members,

means to rotate said type body about said first axis,

means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis,

a first motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said row positioning member and said means to rotate said type body about said first axis,

and a second motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said column positioning member and said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis,

said articulate motion-transmitting connections, when said positioning members are in a midposition being coincident with said third axis, and in all other positions of said positioning members lying substantially along the line of said second axis extending between said first and third axes when said type body is swung about said third axis to printing position,

said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis comprising,

a bellcrank pivotally carried on said primary support member and having one arm operable by said column positioning member through said motion-transmitting articulate connection connected thereto,

an arm on said secondary support member for rotating said secondary support member,

and articulate means connecting a second arm of said bellcrank with the arm of said secondary support member.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1, said articulate means associating the second arm of said bellcrank with the arm of the secondary support member comprising a ball and fork.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1,

said bellcrank having a pivot axis perpendicular to a plane defined by said first and third axes when the type body is in printing position.

4. Mechanism for positioning a type body, having type located thereon in rows and columns, about first and second axes intersecting interiorly of said type body to present a selected type for printing,

a secondary support member mounting said type element for rotation about said first axis to present a selected row of type for printing,

a primary support member mounting said secondary support member for rotation about said second axis to present a selected column on said type body for printing,

said primary support member being swingable to a printing position about a third axis external to said type body and parallel to said first axis to print the type at a selected row and column position,

said second axis extending through said first and third axes,

selectively movable row and column positioning members,

means to rotate said type body about said first axis,

means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis,

a first motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said row positioning member and said means to rotate said type body about said first axis,

and a second motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said column positioning member and said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis,

said articulate motion-transmitting connections, when said positioning members are in a midposition being coincident with said third axis, and in all other positions of said positioning members lying substantially along the line of said second axis extending between said first and third axes when said type body is swung about said third axis to printing position,

each of said positioning members comprising an arm pivotally mounted with capacity for some endwise movement,

said motion-transmitting articulate connection connected to each said arm being associated with the end thereof removed from its pivot,

and means to guide said arm closely adjacent said end along a straight line path so that the motion-transmitting connection connected thereto in all positions of said arm will lie substantially along said second axis when said type body is swung to printing position.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4,

said means to guide said arm comprising a stud,

and a pivot bolt rotatably mounted on said arm, said stud passing through said pivot bolt. 

1. Mechanism for positioning a type body, having type located thereon in rows and columns, about first and second axes intersecting interiOrly of said type body to present a selected type for printing, a secondary support member mounting said type element for rotation about said first axis to present a selected row of type for printing, a primary support member mounting said secondary support member for rotation about said second axis to present a selected column on said type body for printing, said primary support member being swingable to a printing position about a third axis external to said type body and parallel to said first axis to print the type at a selected row and column position, said second axis extending through said first and third axes, selectively movable row and column positioning members, means to rotate said type body about said first axis, means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis, a first motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said row positioning member and said means to rotate said type body about said first axis, and a second motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said column positioning member and said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis, said articulate motion-transmitting connections, when said positioning members are in a midposition being coincident with said third axis, and in all other positions of said positioning members lying substantially along the line of said second axis extending between said first and third axes when said type body is swung about said third axis to printing position, said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis comprising, a bellcrank pivotally carried on said primary support member and having one arm operable by said column positioning member through said motion-transmitting articulate connection connected thereto, an arm on said secondary support member for rotating said secondary support member, and articulate means connecting a second arm of said bellcrank with the arm of said secondary support member.
 2. The invention set forth in claim 1, said articulate means associating the second arm of said bellcrank with the arm of the secondary support member comprising a ball and fork.
 3. The invention set forth in claim 1, said bellcrank having a pivot axis perpendicular to a plane defined by said first and third axes when the type body is in printing position.
 4. Mechanism for positioning a type body, having type located thereon in rows and columns, about first and second axes intersecting interiorly of said type body to present a selected type for printing, a secondary support member mounting said type element for rotation about said first axis to present a selected row of type for printing, a primary support member mounting said secondary support member for rotation about said second axis to present a selected column on said type body for printing, said primary support member being swingable to a printing position about a third axis external to said type body and parallel to said first axis to print the type at a selected row and column position, said second axis extending through said first and third axes, selectively movable row and column positioning members, means to rotate said type body about said first axis, means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis, a first motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said row positioning member and said means to rotate said type body about said first axis, and a second motion-transmitting articulate connection connecting said column positioning member and said means to rotate said secondary support member about said second axis, said articulate motion-transmitting connections, when said positioning members are in a midposition being coincident with said third axis, and in all other positions of said positioning members lying substantially along the line of said second axis extending between said first and third axes when said type body is swung about said third axis to printing position, each of said positioning members comprising an arm pivotally mounted with capacity for some endwise movement, said motion-transmitting articulate connection connected to each said arm being associated with the end thereof removed from its pivot, and means to guide said arm closely adjacent said end along a straight line path so that the motion-transmitting connection connected thereto in all positions of said arm will lie substantially along said second axis when said type body is swung to printing position.
 5. The invention set forth in claim 4, said means to guide said arm comprising a stud, and a pivot bolt rotatably mounted on said arm, said stud passing through said pivot bolt. 